There is a place where children can go, where there is no special time to go to sleep, and they can play and play and never get tired.

It is a place, a land, not too far from that special place in your imagination, probably just a peak over that next hill, and down into the valley. It's a wonderful and curious land with strange creatures, animals that can talk; birds and rodents, lions and bears, things that creep and crawl, and things that ssslither. Would you like to come? Would you like to see? That would be nice, would be a treat. I only ask, you see, because they are in trouble. It's true. They are in trouble and need you to come and help.

Tell me this - Do you know how to dance and how to sing? If you do you can come, yes, you can tell the true spell. In Hodeland, this is the name of the place you see, there is no dancing and no singing, they have forgotten, yes, forgotten. They have forgotten because long, long ago the Zemio stole them and took them away. Now they don't dance and sing or even know what "straight" means anymore. You know what "straight" means don't you? - a line, a ruler, a margin, a rubber band stretched arm to arm. You can tell them, you can show them because you know these things. And when you tell the true spell and they dance and sing again they will see the Teller. That's me, I'm the Teller of the tale, this story is my story. Yet, I cannot go, I am old, and they're the rules.

Yet, you are young and able to go, for the legend says it must be this way. One final word before I send you, watch out for the Zemio, he will try to trick you any way he can and make you follow the dark path of Nothros. So don't let yourself be fooled, and you won't be, as long as you remember that you know the path of Astrape. You have the missing piece, and it is this piece that you will give, for you are that piece. Most importantly of all, you must trust, trust in what you know because I have told you what they lack, and if you trust then you will hear me speak to you. Now, quickly, close your eyes for just a while and listen, and when you open them you will be in Hodeland.

Muskett was very afraid, and wasn't at all certain that what he was doing was safe, or even right, yet he still managed to put on a brave face. His companion on this journey, Bobbin, was not able to hide his fear as well as Muskett, although it must be said that sparrowhawks are very good at hiding their feelings.

"Are you sure this is safe?", Bobbin asked nervously.

"Of course it's safe", Muskett replied confidently, "You have no need to do worry, everything is alright - trust me."

Bobbin had good cause to be afraid, not many had ventured from the safety of the city in Hodeland, and the outerskirts was no place for the weak of heart. Out in the dry places everyone was fair game for the Zemio, the Zemio doesn't care about anybody or anything, all he enjoys doing is pushing anyone he can through his wheel. His wheel is the wheel of Nothros, and once you pass through, your eyes become dim and your body moves like a slug.

"How much further Muskett, I think I'm doing fear", Bobbin said, "I want to go back to Hode, please take me back to Hode, I don't like this." Muskett tried to calm him, "settle down Bobbin, just a little farther and we will know why we are out here and then we can go not crooked back to Hode".

"I don't know how you convinced me to come here with you," Bobbin said, "I don't know why I take the time to listen to your magnificent tales. They're all legends, fool's tales, spun only for fool's to wear so they can think mighty of themselves."

"It would do you well to not speak that way of my tales," Muskett replied in hast and anger, "these are they spoken to us by tellers of tales from moons and moons, and you young Bobbin," he pointed at him, "should do glad because of the tellers of many moons. Without the tellers you would know naught of yourself, naught of Hode, naught of the Zemio, naught of the Wheel, naught of the two ways and young foolish Bobbin, naught of the Ios-Hemon - the Ios-Hemon is true, true I tell you."

"I'm sorry Muskett," Bobbin recanted, "It's the fear. Makes me do foolish. I'll try and do brave".

"Fine!", replied Muskett. "Why don't we recite the tale of the two ways."

"Yes!", answered Bobbin, "that would be grand."

So Muskett and Bobbin began to recite the tale of the two ways in unison to try to help them both stop doing fear.

On the Nothros, Kindled in love with longings - oh, glad risk!- I went out and no-one saw me, My place is now settled.

In Nothros and safety, By the secret ladder, which only I knew - oh, glad risk!-

In Nothros and in hiding, My place is now settled.

In the glad Nothros, In secret, when none saw me, Or even knew that I was there, Without Astrape or someone to lead, keep that which burned in my heart

Astrape led me, More certainly he was the shine of noonday.

To the place where (well I knew!) a gift was awaiting me - a place where none appeared.

As the two travellers finished the tale Bobbin spotted something way in the distance.

"Look Muskett, what is it", Bobbin said.

"I can't tell", replied Muskett, "it's too far away. This maybe it, come on let's get a closer look."

The two began to run, well, sparrowhawks weren't known for their athletic abilities so it was more like a brisk waddle. Red breasted robbins, on the other hand, were very quick, so in no time Bobbin was nearing this most curious sight. Bobbin stopped just short of this most curious sight, but did not go any further, he thought it maybe the Zemio trying to trap him, so he felt it best to be very cautious. Eventually Muskett caught up and when he did he brushed right past Bobbin almost knocking him clear off his claws. Muskett looked hard at this most curious sight, he moved slightly closer and then closer, a bit like wanting to peer over the edge of a great valley but afraid that you might fall.

"What is it?" Bobbin asked from a safe distance.

"I'm not too sure," Muskett answered, "but I think it is a ..". Just then this most curious sight moved and groaned, and Muskett shot his head up and tumbled backward crashing right into Bobbin and the two hit the ground with a great THUD!!! Muskett, wide-eyed and doing much wonder said, "... a Child!".

There were muffled cries for help that Muskett was seemingly totally unaware of, he was so amazed that he didn't even realise he was sitting on top of poor little Bobbin. At the same time this Child, who was now sitting on the ground, began to rub its eyes and yawn just as if it had woken up from a deep sleep. When its eyes cleared the Child saw Muskett sitting on top of Bobbin and said,

"Dear sir, will you please stop the suffering of your good friend by removing yourself from him, it seems that he is now quite familar with your weight, and I would say it is time to free him from it".

Muskett, for the first time in a long while, was speechless and simply obeyed the request of the Child, and he rolled off Bobbin, much to his relief. The Child smiled and said to Bobbin, "Do you feel any better now?"

Bobbin replied, "I feel as though I have just been sat on by the whole city of Hode", as he tried to catch his breath.

By this time Muskett had managed to compose himself, so he made his way to his feet and walked very carefully over to the Child.

"What is your name Child?", Muskett said trying to do brave, but not really succeeding. Child thought to itself for a little while, and then said confidently, "My name is ... my name is ... is, O I'm sorry," the Child said, "I was sure I knew, I'm sure it will come to me any moment now".

"Well tell me this then Child," Muskett asked, "Do you remember how you got here?"

"Well of course I do," the Child replied, "I mean, no I don't".

Being a wise sporrowhawk Muskett thought to himself for just a moment, and then said, "Mmm, well then, do you forget how you got here?"

"No, of course, ..., I mean yes?", answered the Child.

"Well then," asked Muskett again, "do you by any chance remember-forget? To this you can only answer fully yes or fully no."

The Child thought hard then finally said, "Fully yes!"

"Ahh," replied Muskett, "now we're getting somewhere".

The Child stood to its feet and dusted itself off, Muskett and Bobbin watched its every move with their heads moving in unison and their mouths slightly open.

"Well now that we've sorted that out," said the Child, "would you be so kind as to show me the way home".

"Home, home", replied Muskett. "This is your home, there is no other home to be had".

"Well", the Child said. "This place does not look like my home that's for sure".

By this time Bobbin was furiously tugging on Muskett's coat and trying to not let the Child know, but he wasn't doing a very good job. Muskett tried to shoo him away with his wing also without the Child noticing, but he did just as good a job as Bobbin, it was quite a show.

"Is everything alright", asked the Child.

"Fine, yes fine, everything's fine", answered the two most curious creatures.

Finally, Bobbin managed to pull Muskett's ear down to his tiny level and he whispered to him,

"It's the Legend, we must take him to the 'wheel you whont you'".

Muskett snapped back at Bobbin in a loud whisper, "It could be a trick, it might be trying to trick us".

"Well then," Bobbin replied. "We must go to the 'wheel you whont you' not crooked away, because then we will know if it is a trick, but until then we must trust".

Sparrowhawks were always very sceptical, which is a pity because they are also considered the most wisest in the land. Which means that not much really gets done in Hodeland, other than lots of stories being told and retold, and some things that are broked may get fixed. So it is very fortunate that Bobbin was so persistent, and because he was Muskett decided to take the Child to the 'wheel you whont you'.

"Very well", Muskett said to the Child. "We would be delighted to show you the way home, but first we must go to the .." he paused slightly for effect, ".. the 'wheel you whont you' ".

Muskett expected a reaction to that, but to his surprise and dismay he got nothing more than a grin.

"Wonderful, let's go straight away", the Child said.

Muskett and Bobbin stared at each other as if the Child were speaking another language.

The Child noticed that there was something the matter with Muskett and Bobbin, because they seemed to be very confused about what had been said. So the Child asked,

"Is something not right, have I said something wrong".

Muskett replied, "You have not said anything wrong, you have said something which we do not understand".

The Child then said, "And what is that which you do not understand, tell me straight away".

"That's it!", exclaimed Muskett. "That word which you just said, what is it?"

The Child answered, "Do you mean 'straight'?".

Muskett replied, "Yes that's the word, tell me what it is? Explain this word as we travel to the wheel you whont you, we must hurry before it gets night."

So the three of them left that dry place and went in the direction of the wheel. They walked crooked lines, and as they walked their crooked lines the Child talked about 'straight' and what it means, what it is. The Child was surprised that all about there was nothing that was straight, everything was indeed crooked and bent out of shape. Muskett and Bobbin did not understand what it meant for things to be 'straight', this made the Child confused and it may be added just as confused as Muskett and Bobbin was. The Child found it very hard to explain the meaning, just like someone trying to explain the colour blue to someone else who is blind. Still, the Child did it's best, and they asked more questions. On their journey to the wheel Bobbin gave the Child a name, because the Child could not remember-forget it's own, so he called the Child Phos, which means, "the shine of noonday". He did this because deep within his heart he knew that the Child was the one spoken of in the Legend and the tale of the two ways - Nothros and Astrape. He was certain that Phos was the one to come because he had heard the Legend so many times, even from Muskett himself. Yet Muskett was still slightly unsure about this Child now called Phos, he still felt that it may be a trick to trap him, but continued to ask Phos questions.

The three had been walking for a long time and very tired, but they had almost reached the Special Place where the Wheel was. The Special Place is just outside the city of Hodeland, and it is not like the dry places and the outerskirts where few would venture. The three entered into the Special Place it was a wide and open Place, surrounded by a crooked fence and covered with lush green crooked grass. In the centre of this Place was a large Wheel, large enough for Phos to walk through without even bending down, it had supports on the two outer edges so that it could stand up tall and strong by itself. Phos noticed that when they all entered into the Special Place Muskett and Bobbin became somewhat quieter and respectful, for they knew that there was something very special about this place, as has been told to them by tellers of times past. A Place which was patiently waiting for the Ios-Hemon to appear and bring the long awaited Gift. Muskett turned to Phos and said,

"You must pass through the 'Wheel you Whont you' ".

Phos then replied, "Is this Wheel your Wheel?"

"No, no, no, no, no," Muskett said. "This is his Wheel".

Phos was slightly confused, "Who's Wheel?".

Muskett answered, "The one who asks the Ios-Hemon to come to Hodeland to tell the spell, the true spell".

Phos replied, half thinking out aloud, "The true spell, the true spell, I have heard of this before. Tell me what is the true spell?"

Just at that moment Bobbin cut in, "We don't know, that is what we are all waiting for, but when we are told the true spell then we know that everything will fit, just like in the days of the ancients, the ancestry."

Phos turned to Muskett again, and looking at the Wheel the Child said, "What does this Wheel mean?"

So Muskett explained, "Well now, you see on this side of the Wheel you Whont you is Hodeland ..", and pointed to the side that they were all standing on.

He continued, "And when you pass through to the other side of the Wheel you Whont you, you are in Allosland", he merely pointed through the hole in the Wheel.

Phos then decided to go around the outside of the Wheel you Whont you to have a closer look, and Phos went around the Wheel and the Child stood on the other side staring at Muskett and Bobbin through the Wheel you Whont you.

"This is not Allosland", Phos exclaimed. "It's still Hodeland. Your trying to trick me."

"No, no, no, no, no", Muskett said. "You must pass through his Wheel, you can't walk around it that doesn't get you anywhere".

So suddenly, without thinking, Phos passed through the Wheel, except it was the wrong way, or was it the right way maybe the right way for Phos, but wrong for Muskett. At any rate it was a very clever thing to do.

Muskett went into hysterics, and while that was happening Phos said,

"What was that voice I just heard when I passed through this Wheel?"

Bobbin was shocked, but a little more composed than Muskett who was at this time running around in circles squawking like most sporrowhawks who are frantic, Bobbin said,

"Which voice, I heard no voice, just a whole lot of loud squawking which I am still hearing".

But Phos said, "Just as I passed through the Wheel I heard a Voice say 'it was a very clever thing to do' ".

Muskett was still frantic, and he kept saying, " The tradition, the tradition, oh the tradition has been broken, we will all surely end up as slugs for the Zemio".

Phos was wondering what all the fuss was about, Muskett was ranting and raving flapping his wings all about and placing his wings on his head in disbelief. Bobbin had settled by this time and realised that the reason Phos went through that particular way was because that is where the Child came from. Phos has come from Allosland to Hodeland. So the Child does not belong in this place, and is the one who is called "the shine of noonday" in the Legend, and the tale of the two ways. It was then that Bobbin understood that this was the Ios-Hemon, yet he decided to keep these things to himself for just a while, for Muskett was in no state to hear anything.

Just at that moment Muskett suddenly stopped his carrying on as there was a great noise coming from the city, barking, roaring, squealing, snorting. The three stared at each other and then Bobbin said,

"Something is terribly wrong, we best hurry to see what the matter is!"

So the three briskly walked out of the Special Place, once out they ran as fast as they could into the city, unfortuneately Muskett was left to struggle in at his own pace.

Bobbin and Phos entered the city to find a great commotion going on with animals, rodents, birds and bears everybody was running in different directions, and the noise was deafening. Bobbin said to Phos,

"Quickly grab someone and I'll try to find out what is happening".

Phos spotted a ram coming in their direction, and grabbed him pulling him to side out of the way of the choas.

The ram immediately bleeted in fear, "Baaaah, what are you - the Legend?" Bobbin quickly cut in, "Hello, Heurisk I will explain everything in a moment, but first tell us what is happening".

Heurisk said in a flurry, "The Zemio has gone too far this time, he has sent the three agents of Nothros into the very city and they are at this moment taking us into the desolate places and pushing us through the wheel of Nothros. Many have already been taken and are even now in Peri Tou Tou, they won't stop until the Zemio gets what he wants."

Phos asked, "What is it that he wants?"

"We do not know", replied Heurisk. "But it must have to do with the Legend, it is all that it can be. Please let me go I must find a place of safety before I am taken by one of the three agents of Nothros".

At that Phos let him go and asked Bobbin,

"Who are the three agents of Nothros, and what has this to do with the Legend".

Bobbin replied, "The three agents are Pantos, Exaporeo and Miseo, and they do the bidding of the Zemio".

It was at this time that Muskett found the two and said,

"The Zemio is doing very much anger because we found Phos before he did."

Bobbin did surprise, "So you now know".

"Yes!", replied Muskett. "It all made backward sense to me as I thought about all that has happened".

Bobbin confessed, "You are the wisest in the land, for you knew that we needed to be where we were to stop the Zemio from trying to take Phos away before the Child even had a chance".

Muskett leaned toward Bobbins ear and said,

"Just between you and me, I think it was only a guess, or a hunch".

Phos was becoming somewhat concerned, and asked Muskett,

"What does the Zemio want?"

"He wants the Ios-Hemon", Muskett replied seriously. "The Zemio somehow knew that the Ios-Hemon was coming, but could not get there fast enough ..." he paused for a moment, ".. but we beat him to you".

Phos was slightly stunned, "Do you mean to say that I am the Ios-Hemon?"

"Yes", said Muskett and Bobbin.

"Then the Zemio is after me", Phos said doing a bit of fear.

"Yes", said Muskett and Bobbin again.

For short moment all the noise around Phos became deafening silence as the Child thought about what was just said. As the Child thought about these things it was watching an old lion bent over and using a crooked walking cane trying to fight his way through the crowds, being shoved and jostled.

Phos quietly thought of one word, "Trust".

Bobbin and Muskett were doing much fear and they had no idea what to do, thinking maybe they should just hide or help Phos.

Then Phos asked Muskett, "Do you have a carving knife?"

Muskett replied, "A mender of things broked always carries his tools with him. Here you go."

With that Phos ran off into the crowd.

"Where are you going?", Muskett yelled. "To give myself to the Zemio, and make things fit", replied Phos. As Phos ran into the crowd the Child ran to the old lion, looked into his sad eyes and spoke one word to him, "Trust". And with that grabbed the crooked walking stick and broke it in two, looked at the inside of the cane smiled quietly to self and hid it in it's jacket, and ran back to the Wheel.

Muskett and Bobbin watched from a distance and thought that Phos was planning to try and destroy the Zemio with a broken stick and a carving knife.

Muskett began to shake his head, "It will never work, the Zemio cannot be defeated by a broken stick and a carving knife".

Bobbin just looked up to the clouds, and said, "A gift is awaiting me - Oh, glad risk!"

Phos was running toward the Special Place and suddenly felt a cold chill and a strange presence, so the Child stopped. Phos then found self surrounded by the three agents of Nothros, Pantos said to the Child,

"I have serious doubts about you getting out of Hodeland in one piece".

Phos said to him, "I am that piece".

Exaporeo said to Phos, "There is no hope for you now".

Phos said to him, "Where there is life, there is hope".

Miseo then said to Phos, "You are but a Child, unable to do anything, you are much hated by all in this land, you have no place here, nor anywhere else".

The cold began to tear into Phos and the Child started to shiver, the wind began to blow and night was quickly creeping in. It was then that Phos felt self being picked up and carried along by the wind, followed by the three agents cackling behind, they were all moving very, very fast. And in what seemed liked a minute they were at the wheel of Nothros. Phos was placed directly in front of it and the Zemio stood right next to the Child, because he wanted to push the Ios-Hemon through with his own hands. The Zemio was large and very dark, just like the shadow of a great mighty tree, and Phos did greatly fear. Phos looked around and saw many who were there walking around as if they were sleep-walking, their eyes seemed empty and they seemed so lost. The Child looked to the right and saw three others from the city who were the next to be pushed through if the Ios-Hemon did not come of it's own mind, they were doing terror and shaking from the cold, the night, the fear and the Zemio. The Zemio grabbed Phos by the shoulders, and said,

"The Legend of the Ios-Hemon ends in Peri Tou Tou".

The three agents of Nothros laughed, and cackled. And just as the Zemio was about to push the Child through, it yelled,

"There is something you should know!"

The laughing stopped, and the Zemio let go, but didn't say anything. And Phos said,

"I speak to the three, and not to the Zemio".

The three agents of Nothros looked at each other, and the Zemio looked squemishly at the Ios-Hemon, and then the three agents. Then Miseo spoke,

"What is it Child?"

"I'm not speaking to you either", Phos replied.

Then the Child pointed to the three who were to be pushed through if Phos did not come, a possum, a cheetah, and an ostrich. "I have a message to give to those back in Hodeland, may I give it?"

The Zemio was very unsure about this, but to make certain the Ios-Hemon could not try to trick him he stood over the Child and said,

"Quickly, I have much to do after I am rid of you".

Phos then spoke to the three citizens, saying to them, "Return and speak to the city of what is about to happen, say to them all - 'it was a very clever thing to do'''

At that very moment Phos pulled out the hollow broken walking stick from the jacket, which now had holes all the way along it. Then the Child began to play, and when Phos began to play the sound reached to the sky and the Zemio immediately covered his ears and appeared to be in great pain. The three agents of Nothros were also writhing around on the ground in great pain, the three citizens were doing much wonder and amazement they did not know what the sound was, but it was beautiful. Then Phos began to play louder, and harder and faster, so much so that the Zemio was frantic with pain, and began to lose his balance, and he swayed from this side to that side, and Phos let out one great loud note, and finally it sent the Zemio crashing through his own wheel of Nothros. There was a great shriek of terror as the Zemio disappeared, he did not come through the other side as a slug he went to the real Peri Tou Tou, and became trapped there forever. After he had disappeared, a great vacuum came from the wheel and sucked the three agents of Nothros into Peri Tou Tou as well so that they were gone forever.

When this happened the wind died down and the air became warm, and those who had been pushed through the wheel of Nothros woke-up out of their walking sleep, and life came back into their eyes. Phos walked over to the three citizens of Hodeland, and handed the singing pipe to the possum, and when the possum took the pipe from Phos it straightened out as straight as straight could be. The three were in much wonder, saying, "It is the Legend". Phos stayed with them there and showed them how to play the singing pipe, and Phos danced and sang as the cheetah played, and all four played the straight singing pipe, and danced and sang, right there in front the wheel of Nothros.

Eventually, Phos told the three to go back to the city and tell of all that had happened. So this they did and when they arrived they shared all that had happened, and showed the straight singing pipe, Cartaweigh, the old lion, seemed to think it looked most familiar to him. They also show them how to sing and how to dance, and in time they all were able to hear the Teller again, as in the days of the ancestry. Is that correct Muskett?

"Yes it most certainly is", he replied.

And what of Phos?, What has become of Phos?

"Well", Muskett said. "Phos is with you".

And would you like to say anything to the Child before we end?

Just then Bobbin cut in and said, "Yes I want to say something. Thankyou Phos, thankyou oh so much".

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